Method of improving the appearance of aging skin

Abstract

A stable skin care composition for improving the appearance of aging skin is disclosed. The stable skin care composition that includes an effective amount of artichoke leaf extract and carob fruit extract that, in combination, can provide a synergistic increase in the up-regulation of key epidermal-associated genes related to skin aging, and thereby provide an improvement in the appearance of aging skin. The stable skin care composition excludes complexing agents and includes sunscreen agents to help photostablize the composition.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stable skin care composition for improving the appearance of aging skin, the stable skin care composition comprising:
 a. about 0.001% to about 5% of an artichoke leaf extract; 
 b. about 0.001% to about 5% of a carob fruit extract, wherein the carob fruit extract comprises an oligogalactomannan; 
 c. a dermatologically acceptable carrier; 
 d. a pH of less than 7; 
 e. wherein the composition excludes materials that complex with the artichoke leaf extract and the carob fruit extract; and 
 f. wherein the artichoke leaf extract and the carob fruit extract are present at an amount to provide a synergistic increase in the up-regulation of at least one epidermal-associated gene selected from the group consisting of KRT2, KRT6A, CLDN1, LOR, FLG, IVL, KRT10, AQP3, and KRT14 according to an ex vivo tissue analysis. 
 
     
     
       2. The skin care composition of  claim 1 , wherein the epidermal-associated gene is selected from the group consisting of KRT2, FLG, KRT10, and KRT14. 
     
     
       3. The skin care composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one additional skin active selected from the group consisting of sunscreen actives, anti-inflammatory agents, and skin tone actives. 
     
     
       4. The skin care composition of  claim 3 , wherein the additional skin active is a sunscreen active, and the sunscreen active is selected to help photostablize the skin care composition. 
     
     
       5. The skin care composition of  claim 3 , wherein the composition is formulated to prevent formation of a chemical complex with the additional skin active. 
     
     
       6. The skin care composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the artichoke leaf extract is obtained from basal leaves of an artichoke plant. 
     
     
       7. The skin care composition of  claim 1 , wherein the artichoke leaf extract is obtained from dried artichoke leaves. 
     
     
       8. The skin care composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an emulsion having an aqueous continuous phase, wherein the artichoke leaf extract and carob fruit extract are disposed in the aqueous continuous phase of the emulsion. 
     
     
       9. A skin care product, comprising:
 a. the skin care composition of  claim 1 ; and 
 b. an opaque package, wherein the skin care composition is disposed in the opaque package, and the opaque package helps photostablize the skin care composition. 
 
     
     
       10. The skin care product of  claim 9 , further comprising an applicator.